OFF-SEASON TALK (Rumors, Draft, Trades, Free Agents ect.)

But I don't want to be merged

AJ serves a purpose but that is in goal line type situations only....and you can not start him nor pay him for that.

It was hard to judge Barnett because he was always injured. I was a HUGE Barnett fan, but the guy was never on the field. The Hawk contract was confusing, but you can't blame TT for releasing Barnett.

hated bringing back Crosby and Hawk. One worked out one didnt

My wife was a big Barnett fan. she taught him ceramics in the 7th grade. he was spending too much time on IR. Untill someone steps up that can do better than hawk we have bigger fish to fry.

I hope we cut Hawk, his display for the team I think it was versus the Rams was a black eye to the Packers organization. Also when he was injured Francios and Smith seemed to be able to tackle better than him anyway.

I really liked the way Robert Francois played. I wouldn't mind him having a starting pos. at all. I think of Hawk like I do Finley...I wanna like them more, but they just don't produce the way they should.

Every problem the Packers had on Defence stems from lack of Pass Rush.Pure and Simple.You give any QB in the NFL time to throw the ball ,they will find a man.The DB`s were hung out to dry.We need an interior lineman and an edge man to compliment 52.TT mat have to splash a little cash this off season.Mario Williams anyone?

The thing is last year him and Bishop seemed to play so well together. The drop-off in productivity in the span of one off-season has been remarkable...the team seemed to regress the the one that allowed Kurt Warner to throw for more TD's than incompletions two years ago in the Wild Card Round.

The Packers aren't going to be able to trade Hawk with that contract TT signed him to...they're going to have to cut him. I don't see Ted doing that merely a year after he extended him.

The shame is if they could cut him, Grant is gone etc etc..you could feasably keep guys like Wells and Finley.

Im a Barnett fan so I feel like I need to defend him... a couple reasons why we should have kept him and Jenkins,

Barnett started all 16 games and played almost every down for the Buffalo Bills, leading them in tackles with 130 and notching four turnover plays. He never missed a day of practice due to injury.

Barnett is no Patrick Willis or NaVorro Bowman, his sidekick in San Francisco. But when compared to Hawk, Barnett is faster, tougher, more instinctive, slightly better in coverage, a stronger blitzer and a hell-raising, more emotional leader

All found here in a good article by Bob McGinn from jso.

http://www.jsonline.com/sports/pack...s-titlekilling-defense-7l3sfap-137833503.html

With that being said, there was no mention of trading Hawk and his 5 year deal.

"What's done is done. Hawk's $8 million signing bonus can't be brought back, but there is no more guaranteed money in his contract.
Despite stiff salary-cap ramifications, Thompson needs to get the Packers out from under Hawk's $4.4 million base salary in '12 either by trading him (good luck) or releasing him."


jso

Thanks for that...I reached my limit of articles on JSOnline or whatever they're doing now, so I can't go back until Feb I guess.

Still, I have a hard time believing TT will release him...not immidiately after giving him 8 mil. But who knows...

I'm starting to look at the OLB draft class for 2012. If any draft experts want to make a case for their pick feel free to add a line...

I think we need to give D.J. a shot at winning the job come August. He was kind of a mixed back from the 3 games he started...but I think with a solid off-season he could be the next London Fletcher

The Drew, ALL off-season discussions in one thread? I agree too many threads are created on the same issue, but since this is the offseason is this the only thread we post on? "Rumors, Trades, Free Agents, Offensive issues, Defensive issues, etc.", just leaves special teams and crocheting Packers scarves, doesn't it? I'd have thought ONE thread on each of the topics you mentioned would have been a tough goal.

I disagree EVERY problem the Packers had was due to the lack of pass rush but that's certainly the number one problem on the team IMO. But thinking it's the only problem gets Williams, Peprah, and Shields off the hook and they were part of the problem too IMO.

I hope Hawk is asked to take a pay cut and if his play doesn't improve he's waived next off season. Is there a team foolish enough to trade for him at his salary? I wouldn't think so. I'm a big fan of Thompson but Hawk's extension goes down as a mistake IMO. BTW, they can keep Grant, Wells, and Finley even with Hawk's salary and waiving him, because of the cap hit, would make signing them more difficult, not less.

"I'm your Huckleberry."

Since I now reside in the Carolinas, I've seen a lot of Melvin Ingram. I'm bummed that he's projected to go before we get a shot at him. Excellent speed and athleticism, very versatile and mature. He would have been a nice fit at OLB in Capers' scheme, a guy that defenses would have to account for opposite Clay...

I'm not upset by some of the prospects we're being linked to at #28, though...

The Browns could trade for him. Nothing is guaranteed so they could cut him any time they wanted or they could always restructure. Never underestimate how many people have an unhealthy love for Ohio State in Ohio. He would be a face of their franchise and would sell jerseys and seats.

Bruce Irvin out of West Virginia. Beast mode part 2.

This sums it up for me...Thompson has done a terrific job in the draft and overall in building this roster.

But this past offseason he made some big mistakes in who he kept and who he let go...gave money to Hawk and James Jones and let Cullen Jenkins go. Those moves proved to be pretty bad. I don't understand how he didn't see losing Cullen would be a problem...even with Neal you could have just put Neal and Jenks at the 2 DE positions (since Raji and Pickett are both NTs playing them at DE has them playing out of position).

gotta go with a fellow Trojan: Nick Perry

Overview: Though some believed Perry should have stayed in school and solidified his draft position, it's difficult to envision him slipping out of the first round. Not only is he likely to improve his stock by showcasing his significant physical tools in pre-draft workouts, he finds himself in a 2012 draft that is particularly light on pass rushers. Perhaps Perry's greatest asset is his versatility. In an era when increasingly more defenses are employing a variety of schemes, Perry has the ability to be a defensive end in a 4-3 scheme or an outside linebacker in the 3-4 alignment. But as impressive in space and against the run as Perry was in 2011, could he benefit from adding bulk to his 250-lb frame?

Verdict: Perry could go anywhere in the mid-to-late first round, likely as early as Buffalo at No. 10 and as late as Baltimore or New England at the end of the round.

Regardless of who it is, this draft is absolutely stacked with excellent outside pass rushers. We should have no problem improving our pass rush in the draft. I say we draft the best one on the board with our first two picks, then work on other things.

Our pass rush numbers are way off from a year ago so the passing yards allowed stats have to be attached to that first. The blitz packages did not work from the standpoint of getting pressure fast and making the QB get rid of it early. We all saw Manning with enough time to find his WR's on the sidelines 12-15 yards downfield on 3rd down and fairly long over and over. This was far to "typical" week in and week out.

Losing Jenkins and no "middle" pressure hurt and so did the lack of successful pressure from the blitz that should also bring a body straight at the QB. They just didn't move the QB out of the pocket or get him to throw it before he wanted to often enough. You give the receivers time to get to the open areas and the QB can stand in the pocket and wait he will find the 2nd, 3rd, or even 4th receiver and you can't give them that.

I say we need another Jenkins type player FIRST and an outside pressure guy opposite 52 next. TT gambled and lost right in this area and it came back to bite them in the butt bigtime. Now I love me some TT and hindsight's easy as McDonalds and I understand Jenkins is in his last go-around and it was going to cost so I understand it. But the fact we didn't find somebody there and the blitz didn't make up for it are the BIGGEST reasons why were all watching other teams finish this out.

Cause and effect: Did you see the Packers run a lot of bump and run coverage this year? -Didn't think so. The secondary was being asked to do some things that our personnel isn't comfortable with. If we can get after QBs, the secondary can return to the bump and run man coverage it's built for...